32 km SE of Lata, Solomon Islands

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake — a major event — struck near 32 km SE of Lata, Solomon Islands on February 8, 2013, at a shallow depth of about 21 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. A tsunami threat was flagged for this event — large, shallow quakes beneath or near the ocean can lift the seafloor and generate destructive waves. 5 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.